


Face in a Crowd

by captaincastle



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Dreams vs. Reality, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-17 15:52:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13662243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captaincastle/pseuds/captaincastle
Summary: "What if every time Frank sees a blonde in the crowd, a small part of him can't help but hope it's somehow Maria. Then one day he sees a blonde but he finds himself hoping it's Karen; it's at this moment that he realizes he's starting to fall for her."Written pre - punisher before Maria was cast as a brunette





	Face in a Crowd

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr prompt

It starts right after Maria dies. He dreams about her, calls out her name. Sometimes he has waking dreams, he’ll think he sees her when he’s out in the night. When he was overseas he used to think about getting home to her. Then after he was home and she was gone, every time he ‘saw’ her it was fleeting.

He’d see a blond and his heart would race because what if he had dreamed all this up and there she was? But the woman would turn and he’d realize that he was being stupid. She wasn’t going to come back. Ever. There was nothing he could do.

He could punish those who took her from him. And deep down he knew it would never bring her back. But his pain was so dark and severe. He had to do something. So he did what he was trained to do. Fight for what he loves. But does it even matter if the one he loves is gone? He has a mission and that’s the only thing that keeps him going.

Frank never cared much for fanfare. He never cared about recognition for his service as a Marine. He did what he had to do. But when he became the Punisher, whatever respect he had was lost. So on top of all of his pain, people only saw the monster he had become.

Enter Karen.

A lovely blond who wasn’t afraid to tell Frank like it is, but still cared. Guess he had a type, Maria was the same way. But Karen was different. He didn’t see his wife when he saw Karen. He didn’t know what he saw. But he was humbled by her actions.

Because of all that happened with the court case, saving Karen’s life, their long chat in the diner, he had Karen on his mind. He’d disappointed her when he killed his CO. He’d let her down. Just like he felt he let his wife down.

That’s when it started. He’d be out punishing in the night. And he’d see a blond. Maybe a blond out of place. He almost called out her name. And his heart clenched when he realized the name “Karen” was about to come out of his mouth. He blew it off thinking maybe he just wanted to make things right with her. It didn’t occur to him that he may be falling for her - until later.

Frank had been badly beaten one night. He wasn’t thinking straight and he needed help. The only person he could think of was her. He knew it was late and it was a long shot, but he needed help. He knocked on her window, she jolted out of bed, but when she saw him - without even thinking she opened the window to let him in. He practically collapsed into her arms and she almost fell backwards under his weight. She steadied him and got him to her couch. She spread towels down before he laid down.

Frank was going in and out of consciousness. Karen was scared. Her hands were shaking as she stitched him up. He groaned in pain and he heard her voice. He looked up at her, his vision blurred and he thought he saw Maria. But his vision cleared and he saw Karen. Karen’s soft face was frowning.

“Frank open your eyes. It’s ok.” He did as she asked and fully opened his eyes. Without thinking - he reached out for her as she knelt by him on the couch. She didn’t flinch. His fingers slid into her hair as his palm rested on her jaw. His thumb stroked the tears off of her cheek.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. For everything.”

“I know Frank.” she sniffed and leaned down to kiss his forehead. The kiss burned. Not because he was hurt on his forehead but because he realized he ached for more.

He’d never not miss his wife, but for years he had told Maria that if something happened to him overseas, he wanted her to be happy. He’d never forget his wife. A part of him would always miss her and long for her, to hold her again. But he was feeling all of those things again with Karen. A newfound sense of hope and love even.

So he stayed that night on her couch wracking his brain trying to think of something to say. What he didn’t know was that Karen was in her room wondering the same thing. Because another thing Frank didn’t know was he didn’t have to tell her - Karen saw it in his eyes the way he’d looked at her and touched her tenderly.

The next morning Karen got up as early as possible. She didn’t want Frank to leave without saying something. She walked in to see him asleep still on the couch. As she walked in - he began to stir. He opened his eyes.

“Morning Frank.”

“Mornin’.”

“Can I get you anything? Some coffee?”

He nodded. His whole body hurt. It was only now he was realizing that he was only wearing some dirty jeans. He glanced down at his bare chest to see it covered with bandages. He looked up at her making coffee in the kitchen and he needed to say something. He felt an ache he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Frank?”

His heart jumped at hearing his name from her.

“How do you take your coffee?”

“Black.”

Frank tried to sit up, he groaned a little. Karen walked over with a coffee mug in hand and handed it to him. Frank felt a spark when their fingers touched. He felt like a kid with a crush again. What was he doing??

“Frank, I, uh…I want you to stay. I mean I want you to know that if you ever need anything, I’m here. My door or uh..my window is always open.”

Frank was blowing on his coffee to cool it when he realized what she was saying. He glanced up at her and nodded. She wanted him around, and that’s what he wanted. To be around her.

“Thank you ma’am.”

“Anytime Frank.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my favorite fics I've written! It's a personal fave.


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